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(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 O. NALENOE. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 601,100. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

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will/ W/ TNE SSE S 0' (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

0. NALENGE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 601,100. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

WITNESSES Willi/[JIM N VE N 70/? 7 A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES NALENOE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,100, dated March22, 1898.

Application filed October 28,1897. Serial No. 656,671. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OHAELEs NALENOE, of New York city, in the county andState of New York, havein vented a new and Improved Musical Instrument,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to stringed musical instrumentssuch as pianos,harps, autoharps, phonoharps, banjos, mandolins, and the like; and theobject of the invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in musical instruments whereby the strings are operated onby a striker in such a manner that either a solid tone or a tremolo isproduced, the device being also arranged to be used as a silent clavier.

The invention consists of novel features, parts, and combinations of thesame, as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.v

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of the improvement as applied to thepiano-action of an upright piano. Fig. 2 is a like view of theimprovement as arranged for an upright piano with the usual hammersomitted. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same with parts in a differentposition, and Fig. 4 is a like view of the same with parts in a stilldifferent position.

The improvement illustrated in Fig. 1 is arranged as an attachment to anupright piano, having the keys A, each for actuating a rocker B,fulcrumed on a central rail 0, and connected by a jack D with a hammer Efor sounding the strings F. A damper G is also actuated from the rockerB in the usual manner for damping the strings in the well-known manner.

On the inner end of the rocker Bis formed or secured a support II,extending upward and carrying at its upper end a screw-rod I, supportingat its outer end a string J or other flexible connection for supportinga striker K, preferably made in the form of a ball and of hard materialin alinement with the strings F for striking and sounding the same whenthe rocker B is actuated and the support H is moved inward to theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

A damper or muffler L, of any approved construction and under thecontrol of the operator, is adapted to be moved into the path of thestrikers K, so that the strikers do not engage the strings F when thekeys A are played, and a similar damper or muffler N is adapted to bemoved in the path of felt of the hammer E, so that the strings are notsounded by the hammer when the corresponding key is actuated. Now it isevident that by adjusting the screw-rod I transversely in the support 11the connection J and the striker K can be moved nearer to or fartherfrom the strings F, and when the striker K is near the strings F and thecorresponding key is played then the transverse movement given to thesupport H from the rocker B causes an inward movement of the flexibleconnection J and the striker K, so that the latter moves in contact withthe strings F to sound the same, the striker K upon being repelled bythe vibration of the strings moving several times in contact with thestrings to produce a tremolo effect. On the other hand, when thescrew-rod I is screwed outward and the striker K is suspended quite adistance from the strings, then the said striker moves but once incontact with the string F upon playing a key, so that but one solid toneis produced, similar to the one produced by the hammer when striking thestring or strings.

It is evident from the foregoing that the support H, the rod I, and thestriker K, suspended from the rod I by the flexible connection J, can beused as an attachment to the action of an upright piano, as shown anddescribed but the attachment can also be used on an action in which thehammers are omitted, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it beingunderstood that in this case the strikers are relied on solely forproducing the desired music upon the strikers sounding the strings. Asshown in said Figs. 2, 3, and 4, each key A is adapted to impart aswinging motion to the rocker B in the usual manner, the rocker beingheld on a central rail 0, which also supports a damper G, controlled bythe rocker. On the latter is secured or formed a support H, carrying ascrew-rod I, to the inner end of which is secured a flexible connectionJ, carrying a metallic striker K for sounding the strings F. A damper ormuflier L is also provided and is adapted to be moved into the path ofthe striker, so as to render the instrument mute and to allow of usingit as a silent clavier.

Byreference to Figs. 3 and 4t itwill be seen that when the rod 1 isscrewed inward and the striker K is moved nearer to the strings F thenthe said striker will move several times in contact with the stringsupon playing the keys but once and produce atremolo effect; but when therod 1 is screwed outward, as shown in Fig. 4, and the striker K is quitea distance from the strings F then the striker moves in contact but oncewith the strings F upon pressing the key, and hence a solid full tone isproduced without a tremolo effect.

It is expressly understood that the suspended striker K receives atransverse swinging motion on swinging the support H, carried by therocker B; but this movement of the striker is independent of themovement of the support, owing to the flexible connection J between thestriker K and the rod 1 forming part of the support. It is furtherunderstood that the metallic striker K is suspended in such a mannerthat after it has been propelled against the strings by the action ofthe movable support 11 it returns to its former position by its owngravity.

The mufflers or dampers L, L, and N, previously described, are arrangedto be operated by foot orhand pedals. (Not shown.)

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A stringed musical instrument provided witha striker, a support adapted to be actuated by a key from the keyboard,a flexible connection between the support and the striker, for holdingthe latter in a suspended position, and means for adjusting the flexibleconnection relatively to the support, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. Astringed musical instrument provided with a hammer-action, keys foroperating the action, a support carried by the action and set in motionthereby, a striker, and a flexible shank carrying the said striker andsus pended from the said support, substantially as shown and described.

3. A stringed musical instrument provided with a hammer-action, keys foroperating the action, a support carried by the action and set in motionthereby, a striker, a flexible shank carrying the said striker andsuspended from the said support, and dampers under the control of theoperator, and adapted to be moved in and out of the paths of the hammersand the strikers, substantially as shown and described.

4:. Astringed musical instrument provided with a movable support, anadjustable rod on the said support, a striker, anda flexible connectionbetween the said rod and the striker, for holdingthe latter suspended,and for 1novin g it nearer to or farther from the strings, substantiallyas shown and described.

CHARLES NALENCE.

Witnesses:

'lHEo. G. Hosrnn, J NO. M. BITTER.

